WISS University - Building a Culture of Learning

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On May 1, 2007 WISS & Company, LLP proudly opened the doors to WISS University, an institute that goes beyond the traditional model of CPE training and raises the bar for continuing education. WISS University (or “WISS U”) is the brainchild of Jeff Campo, Managing Partner.  Its mission is threefold: 1) to provide high-level opportunities for employees to enhance their technical and leadership skills, 2) to build on the WISS legacy of professional excellence and business leadership, and 3) foster and encourage team building and communication.

The most successful corporate universities are used as strategic leverage to achieve goals and objectives of the corporation for which it was formed. One of the challenges in accounting today is the recruitment and retention of talent. The demand for accountants is great, the supply is short, and client loyalty is largely dependent on service delivery and relationships. High employee turnover is therefore problematic. Further, the role of a today’s accountant has evolved into that of a knowledgeable business advisor, a skill not necessarily developed in undergraduate or graduate studies. WISS U objectives are aimed at the cultivation of individual knowledge, with resulting benefits that include acceleration of the career track, high employee morale, increased employee retention, and improved client service.

“If you instill a culture of learning within a company and, at the same time, provide opportunities for employees to apply new knowledge and skills,” says Jeff Campo, “people respond positively.” At the start, the WISS U Board of Trustees, a young and enthusiastic group of managers, created a mascot to capitalize on collegiate memories of team spirit. The WISS Wildcats image will adorn T-shirts, mugs, and pennants, which will all be available alongside course books in a virtual University bookstore. (Is a fight song in the works?)

The WISS U curriculum includes core technical skill development at several professional levels, knowledge enhancement directly related to an industry or service line, soft skills and the use of technology. A special course of study is focused on women’s issues in business. WISS U will also be a conduit for philanthropic endeavors, creating opportunities for civic involvement and encouraging leadership roles outside the workplace.